Anarchy and chaos
The word ‘anarchy’ has its origins in the Ancient Greek word ‘anarchos’. ‘An’ means ‘without’ and ‘archos’ means ‘ruler’. So anarchy literally means “without ruler”. This can be compared to the word ‘monarchy’, which means “one ruler” (‘monos’ means ‘one’ or ‘alone’).
In a situation of anarchy, an individual lives in freedom because there is no ruler who forcibly imposes his will (‘laws’) on the individual, substantially controlling, influencing and determining their life. Consequently, such an individual is considered ‘sovereign’ — a term derived from the Latin words ‘super’ (above) and ‘regnum’ (rulership). To be sovereign thus means “one who is above the rule or control of another,” which is self-evident in a situation of anarchy. Anarchy thus implies the absence of slavery, because in the other case where there’s a ruler who has more authority than you over your life, possessions and body, you are nothing but a slave.
What happened, for example, during the protests on February 17th in Paramaribo, or on May 2nd in Pikin Saron, has absolutely nothing to do with anarchy. On the contrary, those events took place precisely because of the fact that there are currently rulers whose policies are causing ever-increasing chaos in the lives of their subjects or slaves on the plantation Suriname. Overnight, one suddenly has to pay significantly more for utilities. Overnight, one’s income and savings are suddenly worth half as much. Overnight, the land one lives on is suddenly issued to someone else. Life is unpredictable and chaotic. Frustration is now running so high among an increasing number of these subjects that they are resorting to violence to express their discontent.
Illustration from the book “What Anarchy Isn’t” by Larken Rose
It’s understandable if you’re now wondering how anarchy got confused with chaos or disorder. This confusion can be explained from the perspective of the rulers. To them, order means that everyone lives according to their will, that their policies are implemented and that their vested interests are secured. The rulers cannot allow their subjects to exercise their natural rights and freedom to determine for themselves how they want to live their lives. That would mean chaos for the rulers. Therefore, it’s in their interest, and they do everything they can, to make their subjects believe that living in freedom and without rulers means chaos.
The result, unfortunately, is that today the subjects have been brainwashed by the rulers to such an extent, that they have also come to see living in freedom as chaos. If you dare to suggest that they don’t need rulers and could have absolute authority and control over their own lives, you are almost immediately accused of loving chaos. This, while on the contrary, it’s their ‘choice’ to live under rulers that brings chaos into their lives. Such is the situation we currently find ourselves in today. People willingly choose slavery and see it as the best way to live their lives — despite experiencing the increasingly worse negative consequences every day. Bob Marley emphasized in his song Redemption Song, that we must free ourselves from mental slavery because no one else can free our minds. This is easier said than done.
In reality anarchy does not mean chaos or disorder; on the contrary, it is a sign of order. And not just any kind of order, but Universal Order — the highest form of order that exists and that automatically follows from respecting the individual’s right to life. Because there can be no respect for an individual’s right to life when another rules over him. That would be immoral and against the Universal Order. After all, in that case there is slavery.
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